"I don't speak for them obviously," Cook said in reference to the Trump administration. "I do talk with them and I give them my ideas and thoughts."

The US smartphone maker has felt the pinch of the bruising trade spat, and warned that 2018 revenues would miss its forecast - in large part due to a slump in iPhone sales in China.

The temporary ceasefire came after the two sides imposed import duties on more than US$300 billion of each other's goods.

Without a resolution, punitive US duty rates on US$200 billion in Chinese goods are due to rise to 25 per cent from 10 per cent on Mar 2.

The current trade round coincided with an unannounced visit from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Xi in Beijing ahead of a possible second meeting between Kim and Trump.

China - Pyongyang's sole diplomatic ally and main source of trade - said it would not use Kim's visit as a bargaining chip in the US trade talks.